What happens to a gift card when it is used in an area without a "Gift Certificate Law"?

I would bet it depends on where the card was purchased. Also most cards around here have expiration dates clearly printed on them or a line that says there is no expiration.

In California expiration dates are illegal.

@RedPowerLady In Massachusetts, it is illegal to not list an expiration date on a gift card or certificate. There is up to a $300 fine for the store, but I have never heard of it being enforced. More of a blue law, I guess.

@buckyboy28 So is the expiration date different from it retaining it’s full value?

@RedPowerLady Yes, sometimes they list on the back of the card something along the lines of “After 24 months of non-use, a $2.50 inactivity charge will be deduced from the remaining value of the card”.

This is illegal in Massachusetts, but after 7 years of non-use, the value of the card will go to zero (supposedly… I’ve never kept a card that long), unless they list that the card will not expire.

@buckyboy28 Interesting, I’ve never heard of that.